EXCLUSIVE — Anahat Singh Interview: Transition to senior circuit, Squash World Championships debut and LA 2028 Olympics dream

The Hindu

08-05-2025

Anahat Singh caught the nation's attention in 2022 when she participated in the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as the youngest member of the Indian team. Since then, she has proved multiple times that she is a potential star in the making. The 17-year-old is now a two-time national champion and the country's top-ranked (World No. 62) female player in the sport.
Under the guidance of a coaching team comprising Gregory Gaultier (Former World No. 1), Stephane Galifi (Former World No. 40), and mentor Saurav Ghosal (Former World No. 10), along with support from JSW Sports, the Delhi girl has made tremendous progress at the senior level. And there is more to come.
Currently studying in Class 11, Anahat is part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (Development Group) and is arguably India's best medal hope when the sport makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.
In an exclusive chat with Sportstar, she reflects on the transition from the junior level to the senior circuit, qualifying for her maiden World Championships (May 9-17 in Chicago), and the Olympic dream.
You played at the Commonwealth Games at the age of 14 in 2022 and, the following year, won two bronze medals at the Asian Games. How did those experiences, so early in your career, shape your journey in the sport?
Playing at such events is huge. Doing it at such a young age was possibly one of the best experiences and learning moments for me. By going there and spending time with seniors from all sports, not just squash, I understood what their daily routine is like.
Winning two medals at the Asian Games at any age would be a big deal, but getting them so early in my career is something I'll never forget. At that point, I thought I was playing quite well — but two years later, if I watch that video, I feel I was playing terribly. I've improved a lot since then, and one of the biggest reasons would be because of those two events.
In the last one and a half years, you began the transition from juniors to seniors. You played many PSA Challenger Tour events and did extremely well. What kind of changes did you make in terms of training, fitness, preparation and scheduling?
Earlier, I was playing both junior and senior events. I'm still playing juniors, but not on the Indian circuit — mostly just international tournaments. It's given me more time to focus on what's important, rather than just travelling all the time, from tournament to tournament.
It's not about playing events where I'm sure I would win and not really getting much practice. It's more about those that help improve my ranking, offer more practice, and experience as well.
Also, in terms of training, I have clearer goals now. I'm not just training aimlessly — I have tournaments to look forward to. I know who I'm going to play, and it's going to be a big competition for me.
The time I'm putting on court would honestly be a bit less because I've got school and travelling going on, but it's more focused. It's more about quality over quantity.
I've started working in the gym a lot more. I wasn't doing anything earlier, but now, slowly, I'm getting into it. I'm still not used to it — I get very tired and complain a lot, but I realise that at the end of the day, it's beneficial for me.
Also, I didn't have a constant coach when I was playing juniors until last year. Now, I have Grégory Gaultier, a former World No. 1, on board. I used to train with Stéphane Galifi before, but now, having both of them and Saurav (Ghosal) together is an amazing mix. They all have such great experiences, and I'm really grateful to have them together. Saurav plans the tournaments I play, especially on the PSA circuit, because the points system can be a bit confusing.
Winning matches at the senior level also requires a lot of mental strength. Do you have a mental coach?
No, I don't. Thankfully, I don't really get stressed out before matches. Especially, when playing seniors, there's no pressure for me. It's more for the seniors who are playing me. That's one good thing. That's how I'm performing better right now because when I step onto the court, I don't really feel any pressure. It's more when I'm playing juniors because there's a certain expectation.
I'm gaining a lot of experience playing with all these players and when I go onto the court, it's not about winning, especially with people who are better than me or at the same level. It's about just playing my best and improving my game, no matter what the result is.
There have been many occasions when as soon as your match is announced, you are inside the court warming up while your opponent is yet to be seen.
I'm just a bit hyperactive. I like to do everything on time. Whenever I have my match, I always have a schedule - at what time do I reach the court, start warming up and hitting the ball. Sometimes, the match gets delayed. So, it messes with me a little bit but it is something that is a part of being an athlete and that's something I've always done even when I was under-11. If I still look at videos of me when I was a kid, I was always inside the court. I just like to do that to stay warmed up, focused and just play my best.
Being the top-ranked Indian must have been one of your dreams. Did you expect it that you'll achieve this feat before even turning 18?
I definitely did not expect it and I'm very happy about it. When I was growing up, I had gone to watch my sister play the senior nationals. She was a junior and had received a wild card. I saw Joshna (Chinappa) playing there. I have a picture with her as well. At that time, I was like, 'Oh my God, Joshna! I'm never gonna be at the place where she is!' Back then, I wasn't even playing squash properly. I was still in a mix of badminton and squash. Looking back, I wouldn't really have thought that I would be where I am right now. At that time, I also didn't really think that I would play squash professionally, let alone just reach this level and be in this situation at all.
In 2024, you won nine titles on the PSA Challenger Tour and lost just one match. However, at the World Team Championships in December in Hong Kong, you had some really tough losses against Nele Coll (Belgium – Former World No. 4), Amanda Sobhy (USA – Current World No. 8), and Sarah-Jane Perry (England – World No. 23). What are your takeaways from that whole season?
Before 2024, I was playing PSA but not properly. I played whenever I had the time or if it was combined with a junior tournament.
The Olympics coming into the picture was a huge reason, but I also realised that if I wanted to improve my game, I had to play with people who are better than me rather than those I know I can beat.
My dad made me play a few tournaments in India and I started winning the smaller ones. I travelled for a few outside India as well. At my first international PSA (ACE Challenger Tour 12k in Kuala Lumpur), I lost in the quarters (to Akanksha Salunkhe). After that, I was a bit sad because it was my first international tournament and I hadn't really done well.
However, I then won a few more in India because we had some bigger tournaments here. My ranking went up, I broke into the Top 100 which took a lot of time, and I realised that I needed to start playing some of the bigger tournaments.
The transition was hard at first — just going from playing with people you know you're going to beat and have been playing for years, to playing people like those you mentioned at the World Team Championships who've been at the top for so many years. At the World Team Champs, I played Nele Coll. I had a really close match (1–3) with her. It was on the first day of the tournament, and for the next week, I was so exhausted.
That was a huge learning point. If I'm already so tired from just one match, there's a lot to work on. I wasn't really able to perform too well when I played with the other two girls, but after that, in the last few months, I've been working on staying consistent and being able to play at that level for a long period of time, rather than just playing one tough match and then being tired for the rest of the tournament.
What was your mindset heading into the World Championship Qualifiers (Asia) in Kuala Lumpur last month?
India's Veer Chotrani (left) and Anahat Singh (right), winners of the World Championships Asia Qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The week before that tournament, I was in Prague, training with my coach, Gregory. I told him that I wasn't playing too well. I wasn't feeling good inside the court. He said it was fine. I was playing with some of the top players. When you're playing with someone so much better than you, you feel you're not playing really well, but he said it would all come together in the tournament.
I was not very confident going into the tournament. I was expected to play Tanvi (Khanna) in the semis and Akanksha in the finals as per the draw, but they both ended up losing earlier. I had the whole situation planned out, but it turned out to be completely different.
It did give me a bit more confidence because (rather than) playing someone you're facing constantly and are very competitive with, it's better to play someone else who's international and you've not really played against a lot.
I was playing well in the first few matches. I won quite easily and the court also suited me. The final wasn't my best game. I was a bit stressed out because you know when you've reached so close to the finish line and you're like, 'Am I going to make it or not?' But I'm glad I was able to make it through.
How do you prepare for your matches at the senior level? Does it involve data and video analysis?
I talk to my coach either on the morning of my match or the night before, but I also like to watch my opponent's match by myself and see what I can do from my perspective.
My coach explains her strong and weak points, but also, analysing yourself rather than someone else telling you is always better. So, the night before, I always like to watch my opponent's match. I might be playing differently that week compared to the week before. So, I don't really like to watch too much in advance. I don't do anything too fancy.
Earlier, the Olympics wasn't in the picture but now, the sport will make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028. There is no guarantee whether it will feature in future editions. How did that change your approach towards the sport?
They had been trying to get squash into the Olympics for the last few years but it wasn't happening. I think the timing couldn't have been more perfect for me. It's going to be when I am 20 and hopefully, at that time, I'm at my peak.
The Olympics is the main aim for every athlete. The training has changed completely. We don't really know what the selection criteria is yet because there's still quite some time left. We'll only know next year or in 2027, but it's probably going to be based on the rankings. Just to be safe, the top 20 should qualify and I'm 60 right now. I have a lot of work left to do.
READ | Squash's Olympic dream: Indian players eye glory in Los Angeles 2028
It's also the main reason why I shifted from juniors to seniors because juniors isn't the aim in the long run — the Olympics is. The only way that's going to happen is if I'm top 20 in the world. Just playing these tournaments helps my ranking and helps me understand where my level is right now compared to all the seniors, and where I need to work so that I'm able to compete with them and get a medal as well in the next three years.
How have the tournaments at home helped you in your journey?
Anahat (right) won the JSW Indian Open, a PSA World Tour (Copper Level) event, her biggest title so far in March this year. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
In March, there were two events — SRFI Indian Tour, Chennai, and JSW Indian Open, Mumbai. I was ranked around 80 prior to those tournaments and because I won both, I reached 60. I had my exams that ended a week before those two tournaments. If I had to play something internationally, it would have been really difficult and I would have still been stuck at 80.
Being in India made it so much easier to board a flight, travel and play a tournament where I'm familiar with the crowd. It's a huge advantage playing in your home country rather than somewhere outside because of all the travel and the jet lag.
It all pays off in the performance as well. Those two tournaments were really important for me. I wouldn't have qualified for the World Championship if I hadn't won those two. I wouldn't have gone to play in the qualifiers either.
What are the major events for you for the rest of the season?
I have the World Championship right now and then I have the British Open qualifying (May 27-29), which is the biggest tournament after the World Championship. If I do qualify, the main draw starts just two days later.
Then I'm playing the Asian Doubles Championships (June 23-27) in Malaysia, the Asian Junior Championships (July 1-5 in Korea), and the World Junior Championships (July 21-August 1 in Egypt) as well over the summer.
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